This invention relates to a guard for the valve, gauge and regulator of a cylinder of compressed gas. Such cylinders of compressed gas are in their body very resistant to damage but in the area of the connection of the valve and gauge to the body of the cylinder they are vulnerable to damage. Thus if impacted in this area by a fall or by a moving body, the valve or gauge and also the regulator which is positioned in this area can become damaged allowing gas to escape from the cylinder. This is dangerous firstly because the gas can itself be explosive and secondly because the gas can be under such high pressure that its escape can propel the cylinder in the opposite direction to the escape. Both of these dangers can of course have catastrophic results.
A number of proposals have been made for providing protective guards for the valve area of cylinders of this type. Most of these guards, however, completely surround the valve area and must be opened or removed before access to the valve can be obtained. Such an arrangement is acceptable in theory but in practice the guard in the working enviroment is often left off or left open thus rendering it totally ineffective.
Other proposals have been made for simple bars or rings surrounding the valve area but these are unacceptable in that they do not provide sufficient protection against the most dangerous situations where the valve, gauge and regulator fall against an elongate or pointed object where the whole of the impact is taken on the valve area.